Hydrant.



CLAUDE L. HOXVES, OF BOSTON,

Patented July 14, 1903.

arr r i ch li'lASSACHUSETZlS.

SPECIFECATION forming p; of Letters Eatent No. 733,483, dated July 14,1903.

Application filed February 20, 1902. Seria llo 94,870. (No model.)

To all 112710727, it m/riq cancer/2 Be it known that I, CLAUDE L. Howns,of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Hydrants, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention has relation to'that type of hydrant which is providedwith a hollow upright body having one or more lateral outlets, a mainvalve controlling the flow of water into the hydrant, and a separatevalve for each of the lateral outlets.

The present invention has for its object to provide certain improvementsin hydrants of the type mentioned, first, for the purpose of simplifyingthe construction of the same; second, for reducing the cost ofmaintenance, and, third, for rendering the interior operative parts ofthe hydrants accessible to enable them to be cleaned or repaired.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 represents a longitudinal verticalsection through the hydrant embodying my improvement. Fig. 2 representsa section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1 with one of the valves removed.

I have represented upon the drawings only that portion of the hydrant towhich my invention particularly relates.

(0 indicates the body of the hydrant, which is provided with lateralapertures a, into which are screwed hose or steamer connect ing-nozzlesZ). Preferably that portion of the nozzle engaging the body of thehydrant is provided with a tapering thread, as shown, and that portionwhich receives the capb or the hose-coupling has the usual screw-thread.

The cylindrical body a of the hydrant is cast with a plurality ofinterior walls of, which form elliptical valve-chambers 0, each chambercommunicating directlywith an out let a or the nozzle Z) therein. Thechambers 0 may be of different sizes, according to the volume of waterto be discharged through the outlet, the walls which form said chambersextending from practically the top of the body to a distance somewhatbelow the out-.

lots. The top of each chamber and the top of the hydrant are closed by astuffing-box plate (1, which fits snugly against the upper end of thewalls a and upon the upper end of the main walls of the body a, saidplate having a boss (1 fitting within the walls of the body to centerit. The formation of the walls a provides a central chamber for thereception of the screw bar or stem 6 for the main valve. Said screw-barextends into a sleeve 6, attached to the valve-spindle c and for thepurpose of preventing the rotation of said sleeve it is formed with lugsor projections 6", which extend into parallel grooves or guides 0, intwo of the walls a as clearly shown. In eaclrof the chambers c is placeda valve f, having at its lower end an elliptical shoe f, which is heldin place by the washer f and the screwf- A rubber gasket is held againstthe shoe by a washer f and ascrewf. The walls which form each chamberare provided with an interior elliptical projection a, which forms aseat to receive the shoe f of the valve,this seatbeinglocated'atorimmediately below the outlet a leading from saidchamber. The chambers approximate an ellipse in crosssection; but thearea of said cross-section is such as to be greater than the area of theoutlet ct leading from each chamber, so that there is always a fullsupply of water delivered to each outlet when the valve is fully opened.The valves and valve-seats are similar in share to said cross-section,and therefore there is practically no reduction or retardation of thesupply of water and the valves are prevented from rotating in thechambers. Each valve is provided, as shown, with a valve-stem f, which.is hollow and interiorly threaded for the reception of alongitudinallystationary screw bar or stem 9. The screw bars or stems eand 9 project upwardly through the stuffing-box plate in which they arejonrnaled and are squared at their ends for the reception of a tool bywhich they may be rotated. There are stufling boxes and glands for thestems to prevent leakage of water throu the apertures in which the saidstems are located. By'virtue of this construction the walls of thechambers may be cast integrally with the body of the hydrant and areerfectly alined for the reception of the valves and the valve-spindles.The closure of the chambers by the stuffing-box plate reduces the numberof parts very materially and provides for the easy accessibility of thevalves for their renewal or for the purpose of cleaning them. Moreover,the plate may be removed to carry bodily with it the various valvessupported thereby, and thus expose the entire interior of the casing.

As illustrated, the hydrant possesses the smallest number of parts, issimple in construction, and is of such a nature that the cost ofmaintenance is reduced to a minimum.-

Having thus explained the nature of the invention and described a way ofconstructing and using the same, although without attempting to setforth all of the forms in which it may be made or all of the modes ofits use, I declare that What I claim is 1. A hydrant consisting of acylindrical bodycast With a plurality of curved interior Walls to form aseries of parallel valve-chambers which are elliptical in section withtheir major axes tangential to circles circumscribed about the axis ofsaid body, the said valvechambers being open at their lower ends andbeing formed with interior projections to constitute ellipticalvalve-seats, and also having lateral discharge-ports; elliptical valvesin I said chambers adapted to fit said seats; a stuffing-box platefitting on the top of said body against the upper ends of said curvedwalls to close the upper ends of said valvechambers; and longitudinally-stationary threaded rods journaled in said plate and having threadedconnections with said valves 2. A hydrant consisting of a cylindricalbody cast with a plurality of curved interior walls to form a centralchamber and a series of parallel valve-chambers Which are elliptical insection with their major axes tangential to circles circumscribed aboutthe axis of said body, said valve-chambers being open at their lowerends and being formed with interior projections to constitute ellipticalvalve-seats, guides formed on said curved walls and accessible from thecentral chamher, a fiat stuEfing-box plate fitting the top of said bodyand engaging said Walls to close the upper ends of said chambers, rodsjournaled in said stufiing-box plate and having threaded ends extendinginto said chambers, an elliptical valve in each of said valve-chambersin threaded connection with one of said rods, and a main-valve nut inthreaded engagement with the rod extending intothe central chamber, saidnut having guides to engage the guides on said curved walls to preventit from rotating.

3. A hydrant consisting of a cylindrical body cast with a plurality ofcurved interior Walls to form a series of parallel valve-chambers whichare elliptical in section with their major axes tangential to circlescircumscribed about the axis of said body, the said valvechambers beingopen at their lower ends and being provided with interior projections toconstitute elliptical valve-seats, a fiat stuffing-box plate inclosingthe top of the said body and fitting against the tops of the curvedwalls to close the upper ends of the said valvechambers, alongitudinally stationary rod threaded at its lower end and projectinginto each of the said valve-chambers and having its upper end journaledin the stuffing-box plate, and a valve in each of said valve-chambers,said valve being formed with an elliptical shoe to engage the valve-seatand with an annular internally-threaded flange or boss integraltherewith and in threaded engagement with its cooperating valve-rods.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

' CLAUDE L. HOXVES. Witnesses:

O. F. BROWN, GEORGE PEZZETTI.

